The House of Representatives backpedaled on its plan to prioritize the postponement of barangay elections, a high-ranking House official said on Thursday.

House Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales said the 15th Congress would rather push other measures supported by President Aquino, who earlier rejected calls to postpone the barangay elections but called for abolishing the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and instead have a youth representative elected to the barangay council.

“If the President has already announced that he wants it (barangay elections) to push through, why do we have to give it (bills seeking poll postponement) priority when the President can also veto it after all," Gonzales told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) submitted on Thursday a draft measure to Malacañang calling for the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and the election of a youth representative in the October 25 elections,

lamenting the group’s failure to be functional and effective in the delivery of public services under the Local Government Code.

DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said that draft measure will seek to repeal Section 423 to 439 of the Local Government Code that will, in effect, totally abolish the Katipunan ng Kabataan or the SK., and the amendment of Section 387 (a) and 390 of the same Code to include a youth representative in the barangay who will be elected at large by the youth aged 15 years old but less than 18 years old during the barangay elections.

The draft measure is expected to be certified as urgent or a priority bill by the President.

Robredo said the draft measure will strengthen the position of the youth.

“The youth will now have a direct voice in the barangay unlike before when they only sit as an ex-officio member of the barangay council,” he said.

Robredo also explained that the SK abolition will not only save the government about P3.5 billion in election expenses.

Gonzales said they would rather not waste time trying to approve 17 bills and resolutions calling to postpone the barangay elections, which would not have a fighting chance in the 15th Congress unless Malacañang certifies these as urgent.

But allies of President Aquino in the House will not prevent the newly-constituted House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms to conduct hearings concerning the postponement of the barangay elections, Gonzales said.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, chairman of House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, said they will start deliberations with officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Liga ng mga Baranggay on August 18.

Saying that they will also invite leaders from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Barzaga vowed to fast-track the study to enable the committee to submit a report before the end of the month.